This is another popular easy to grow landscaping plant. However, it has become extremely difficult to find in the wild and has been listed on the federally endangered list. The Hawaiians used the pulp of this flower for a rich yellow dye reserved for chiefs.

This endangered plant has soft silverly leaves because of the thousands of tiny hairs that cover this plant. These hairs help protect the plant from the heat and help trap tiny particles of moisture. The Ohai has the ability to gather nitrogen from the air and defuses it in the soil creating a organic fertilizer for nearby soil. The salmon colored flower is fragrant and was prized for lei making.

This is the official Hibiscus flower of Hawaii. It’s fitting that this hibiscus is endangered when considering the vast number of endangered Native Hawaiian plants. The flowers’ pedals and stigma are yellow with either a solid or splotchy red center. This plant should not be confused with the much more common chinese hibiscus.